Request for Assistance A-28/00
Kulhuse 07.30, Sunday October 1
Hey!
- Niels Ege? - Yes.
Assistant Commissioner lbsen. Police.
Hi.
I regret to tell you there was a fire at your house.
What are you saying?
- Where's my wife? - Your wife... didn't make it.
- Did Lulu not get out? - No.
- My daughter Camilla? - She's in hospital
with carbon monoxide poisoning.
Niels.
Your wife's dead. We'll take you to the hospital.
Niels! Oh, Niels.
I saw the fire.
I tried to get in, but the fire was too fierce.
- I thought you were inside. - No, I was...
I was down on the boat.
And Camilla and Lulu?
Lulu's dead.
- And Camilla? - Camilla...
Camilla's in hospital.
- How is she? Has she talked? - They don't know...
if she'll ever wake up.
Your hair?
- You've cut your hair? - Yes.
You said you didn't want to see me any more.
Did I?
- Don't you remember? - No.
Come on. You need to lie down.
There, there.
I'll look after you.
UNIT ONE
Reported by Claus Johansen,
a neighbour,
on Sunday at 07.17.
The deceased is 42-year-old Lulu Ege.
She worked at the school where her husband is head.
Their daughter Camilla is still in a coma.
Traces of inflammable liquids found in the lounge and bedroom.
- Where the deceased slept? - Yes.
- Not an accident. - Maybe arson.
- And her husband? - On his boat. All night.
- At this time of year? - So he claims.
- Okay. See you up there. - Bye.
You'd better take this.
Congratulations to Kirsten.
For her season at The Royal Theatre.
- How do you know? - I read it in the papers.
- Any meaty roles? - What does she say?
I haven't seen her since London.
- You went to London? - She must have told you.
I had two tickets to a popular show
and she came over to see it.
Don't you two talk? Or don't you listen to your wife?
Anyway, good luck with the investigation.
Does he know you're pregnant?
He calls me all the time.
- It's too much right now. - Don't you want a child?
I do, but...
Not now. I might be a single mum.
- He was at the Family Court? - He was.
- He's got his divorce, then. - He might change his mind.
Gaby.
He took his wife to Paris because he's a nice dad
who's trying to help his kids through the divorce.
He proposed.
Johnny Olsen on his knees! What a sight!
I've got an appointment tomorrow and I'm keeping it.
- Hi. - You were quick.
There are traces of inflammable material there.
That was the lounge till yesterday.
- What kind? - Turpentine.
In the bedroom too.
- Where the wife slept? - Yes.
Look at this.
- She was lying like this? - Yes.
Like she was asleep.
- She slept through this? - I wonder.
Unless she was drunk or had taken pills.
Could she have lit the fire and gone to bed?
She might have.
- But what? - Have a look at this.
The child was hiding in there.
That chair...
was wedged under the doorhandle.
Lock her in and light the fire?
Even if totally sedated, could a mother do that?
No.
She'd have sedated the child if she wanted them both dead.
Could a father?
Could a father what?
Lock a child in and set fire to the house?
Some could. We've seen it before.
What's that?
She kicked the door trying to get out?
She's eight years old.
Are you going to the hospital? I'll meet IP at the office.
Look at this. You take one flower at a time.
Tie it to the others.
That's it.
August is doing a good job.
Afterwards we'll place the flowers up at the house.
Where's Camilla's mum now?
In heaven?
Maybe.
Can she see us now?
Yes. From heaven you can see what everyone's doing.
What you're doing too?
Let's hurry up and finish this.
- I'll be off now. - Okay.
Was it tough?
- What? - The Family Court.
Oh! What do you think?
It's over now.
- I have something to tell you. - That's a change.
I've called you so many times.
- Are you busy? - I bloody well am.
That divorce fleeced me. I'm on my way to Berlin.
- Okay. - Here's my work sheet.
- What? - My work sheet.
- What was it? - Nothing. Forget it.
The neighbour told me
he was woken by the girl crying for her mother.
He smelt smoke and suddenly it all went up.
The local gossip is they were splitting up.
According to the neighbour
they were fighting that evening and during the night.
He woke several times hearing the wife in hysterics.
Crime scene 12.30, Monday October 2
Where would I go?
Away from the fire, at least.
Are my clothes on fire?
Would I run towards the sea?
Ingrid, come down to the beach.
Niels Ege?
Yes.
Sorry for disturbing you. I'm Allan Fischer
from Unit One.
How is she?
I need to talk to you, Niels.
Yes. I understand.
Not here though. Can you come with me?
- Are you sure they're Niels'? - Yes.
- He left prints in the house. - When were these made?
Saturday evening.
Just after it started raining around 9.
Couldn't he have been here on Sunday?
The prints wouldn't have looked like that.
The sand would have been too dry to leave that imprint.
Ingrid.
Forensic Institute 15.30, Monday October 2
- Hi, Jan. - There's not much to go on.
- The outside's all charred. - And inside?
The stomach was heat affected. Boiled, actually.
- Fascinating. - It's interesting.
The contents are intact.
We've checked for barbiturates.
During the night she drank a lot of red wine
and took a big dose of sleeping-pills.
- We'll see what type. - That explains her position.
There's another interesting detail.
No carbon monoxide in her blood.
- She died before the fire? - Yes.
I'll pick the report up tonight.
You're welcome to, but I might have left.
Thanks, honey.
I just got the results on the sleeping-pills.
- They were Flunitrazepam. - Can you spell that?
I can. But look for a container marked Rohypnol.
- Can I fax this report to you? - Yes, sure.
She died before the fire started.
Could he have done it after all?
- You saw the forensic report? - No.
- Wine glasses in the sink. - She drank with the person?
She knew them well.
- Here you are. - Thanks.
It's October 2 at 16.15.
Interrogation of Niels Ege
regarding the killing of Lulu Ege and the arson of their home.
DI LaCour and DI Fischer are present.
Did you and Lulu have a good marriage?
- We thought so. - Sorry for being so direct.
- So why sleep on your boat? - I do that quite often.
- You hadn't been arguing? - No.
- When did you go down there? - Around...
Around 9 o'clock.
- Which route did you take? - The usual.
- And that is? - Through town.
Not down the slope?
No, why? That's in the opposite direction.
- Did you sleep alone on board? - Yes. What else?
- There was no one else? - No, I had Lulu.
- And we had a good marriage. - You're lying.
- I'd like to return to my girl. - When we're done.
- Why go that way? - Why were you fighting?
Were your clothes on fire?
- Why did you argue? - I don't remember.
About the fight, or going down the slope?
No... Yes...
Yes, we... I did run down the slope.
- You did? - Yes.
- In the evening. - Why?
Weren't you going to your boat?
It's true, we...
We were arguing.
It was dreadful. Lulu was the jealous type.
Did she have cause to be?
I collided with a fisherman.
- On the beach? - At Hundested.
- When? - It was...
early Sunday morning.
It was getting light. At 6.30.
- At Hundested on Sunday? - I couldn't sleep. I left at 5.
Your boat must have been scratched.
No, because we just missed each other.
Surely you can find that fisherman.
Why aren't you with Camilla?
They're doing some tests. They don't need me.
Please leave!
I'm sorry.
Sorry.
I didn't mean it.
I was with the police and they...
they asked all sorts of questions.
If they see us together they'll believe...
They'll think I did it.
I don't know either.
You broke up with me.
Never wanted to see me again.
I was here.
So you say.
- I should have stayed with you. - Yes.
You should have.
But let's say you were with me.
Why didn't you say so before?
I thought it was embarrassing
for a headmaster to have an affair with a teacher.
But you'd probably have found out anyway.
- You were with her all night? - Yes.
- When did you leave her? - I went to the boat around 8.
Why not home?
I couldn't. I had to be alone.
Why did you and your wife argue?
Had she found out about Irene?
- Did she get angry? - Very.
That's when we started shouting.
She turned nasty and said she had someone too.
- Did you ask who it was? - Yes.
But she wouldn't say?
- You asked if you knew him? - Yes.
- Did you? - Yes.
- A parent? - Yes.
Who?
That was none of my business. This must sound very messy.
I'm used to it.
Niels, who did this?
What if...
If Lulu really had someone else,
could his wife have resented sharing him?
- Was Niels here Saturday night? - Saturday night?
Interview regarding alibi 17.20, Monday October 2
No. Is he saying that?
Yes. And that you're lovers.
Oh, poor Niels!
He must be in a real state.
I'd never do that.
I work with both him and his wife.
This is a really good photo.
How well do you know one another?
That's from a summer camp.
- It only happened once. - Did it?
- Does anyone need to know? - No.
So he was here, then?
All night?
We were making love as his wife burned to death.
- When did he leave? - I don't know.
Around 8, I think.
We heard the sirens but...
we didn't know it was his house.
- Would you like a bed in here? - Thanks.
- If it's not too much trouble. - Not at all.
How's the kid?
- What kid? - Camilla.
She's better. The effect of the poisoning is abating.
- Going home? - Yes.
- Can I come? - Sure.
Gaby, why don't you stay and share a glass of wine?
Stop it.
I won't be here tomorrow.
Look after your own reports.
The list of parents...
Oh?
Tomorrow...
We want to know all about the deceased.
I see. You'll be busy, then.
Congratulations.
What? Of course you can.
Yes, I'll pass it on.
- Kirsten says hello. - Thanks.
She's understudying Mrs Alving in "Ghosts".
- Her lines are a problem. - It's nice she's busy.
Sure.
Why do you think they planned it?
- Their stories are identical. - Perhaps it's the truth?
Why would Kirsten lie about going to London to see a play?
And three weeks later Ulf repeats the same story.
It's annoying.
Another bottle?
Yes. I was just going to suggest the same thing.
I usually...
introduce myself before taking my clothes off.
- Staffan Gustavsson. - Ingrid.
What's a Swede doing here at this time of year?
I'm a writer. I'm just finishing a book.
- Should I know you? - Yes, maybe.
- You read detective stories? - What?
Detective stories.
Detective stories?
- Crime novels. - Oh? No, I don't.
What's it about?
Well, it's...
it's about a female detective chief inspector.
She's a single mother. She has to fight for her job.
Then one day... in the middle of a murder case
she meets a man who falls madly in love with her.
What about the murder case?
She forgets it for a while,
because she can't resist this fool.
But naturally, in the end she solves the murder.
What about her and the man?
I'm not quite sure.
I'm trying to think how it should end.
How exciting.
- Oh? - Staffan Gustavsson.
- Staffan writes crime novels. - I see.
I've heard of you. They're said to be excellent.
I'm a bit tired. I think I'll turn in.
Just turn out the lights when you leave.
- Fine. - Good night.
Right...
What are you doing here in Kulhuse?
We're working...
- On a murder case. - I don't believe it.
- What? - Are you a detective?
Oh, come on!
Cheers.
I can't sleep. Do you have a good crime novel for me?
I'll have to go now.
Tell me to go. Please...
- I thought of something. - Yes?
It may be nothing, but after you mentioned the fire
I was in Kulhuse swimming that morning...
and I saw a woman running down the bank,
straight into the water, fully dressed.
- What did she look like? - She had...
She was about your height.
And she was wearing light-coloured clothes.
She took my towel when she left.
I think she was crying.
Why didn't you tell me?
You would have turned back into a chief inspector again.
- How long are you staying? - Another hour.
Then I may have to ask you to come back.
Leave us your phone number and address.
Why?
For a crime novelist you're a bit slow.
Crime novelist?
Who said I write crime novels?
I'm a religious historian.
Well, well...
I don't know either.
Her name's Ida and she was shot. I was there, right?
Wouldn't that be why they've invited us?
She's not good-looking.
She's a big momma weighing 95 kilos.
We'll just stay away, then.
Now you want to go?
LaCour's here. Can we talk later?
Fine. Bye.
- Problems? - Yes.
Mille opened my mail and saw an invitation to Ida's wedding.
- You're going to a wedding? - Why would I?
"Hi, I'm Fischer. I shagged your daughter-in-law."
- Don't go, then. - Not an option.
Mille wants to go.
- You've got some problem. - Sure do.
Insane!
Morning briefing 07.45, Tuesday October 3
Doesn't this coffee pot take water?
- Sure, it does. - Oh?
- Pour it in at the top. - I see.
- Didn't you bring any rolls? - No.
Morning.
You passed the baker!
- Did you bring some? - No.
- Where's your Irene interview? - In the tray.
- No. - Didn't she put it there?
Gaby told us to organise our own reports.
Where the hell is Gaby?
Morning.
- What are you doing here? - I thought you might miss me.
- Where's Gaby? - Yes, where the hell is she?
Good on you, Johnny.
Did she go to Copenhagen?
Johnny... She's at the state hospital.
- Why? What's happened? - She has an appointment today.
Thanks.
This tastes like cardboard, Johnny.
Irene was with Niels when the fire brigade arrived?
- That's what it says. - But a witness
saw a woman running from the house down to the sea.
- What witness? - Staffan. From last night.
He was swimming when she ran down.
- She took Staffan's towel. - Staffan?
The police found the fisherman from Hundested.
Niels almost rammed him Sunday morning.
So why say he was with Irene?
In case we missed the fisherman.
Why did she confirm it? To get an alibi herself.
- Shall we get her in? - Let's do that.
Gaby, we need to check...
if Irene has a past.
- Want some cardboard? - What?
Suspect's address 08.20, Tuesday October 3
Hello.
She's probably at school.
We'll have to leave again, then.
'Turpentine'
Fischer!
Look...
I think she forgot to start the washing machine.
- Is this the Swede's towel? - Yes.
Have a look in the cupboard.
She didn't even chuck the rest out.
But she kept the receipt.
Here it is.
And one for two bottles of turpentine.
- She's making it easy for us. - Indeed she is.
- I'll wait for Forensics. - Do that, I'll go to the school.
Mummy?
Hi, darling.
I want my mum.
Daddy's here.
She set things on fire.
Who did?
I couldn't get out.
Who lit the fire?
Her hair caught on fire.
Forensics are at Irene's.
She's had three restraining orders
from ex-boyfriends.
Things have been escalating.
Hi, Fischer.
Okay.
Fine.
Irene didn't go to school.
Hi.
Have you been to the hospital?
Is she better?
Why cut your hair?
Don't you like it?
Come on.
Why did you cut your hair?
Why?
You left me.
You killed her.
You did.
You killed her! You did!
Niels, Niels!
I love you.
She hasn't been seen since yesterday.
Okay. Don't they have a secret place?
His boat?
Let's try.
Her drainage pipe was full of her hair.
I heard the tips were burnt.
- You're slow on the uptake. - No.
Let me go!
He's insane! He's insane!
Why are you taking me?
He was trying to strangle me.
Irene Krohn's arrest 11.56, Tuesday October 3
"It's my life's triumph. Triumph over myself."
"Rather your greatest humiliation."
"I entreat you to return to your husband."
"I come to you in despair crying 'Take me.'
- "Is that a wrong?" - No.
No, Pastor Manders says that. You say
"If only I weren't so cowardly."
Not there, I don't. We're all over the place.
- I'll never learn it in time. - I must answer this.
- Sorry to disturb you. - Don't worry.
- We've arrested Irene Krohn. - Well, well.
That was quick. What have you got?
She was seen running from the house.
- That doesn't make her guilty. - No.
We've also found hair and burn-marked clothes.
Not enough.
We've got her receipt for turpentine.
- And a box of Rohypnol. - They're not illegal.
Those pills are difficult to get hold of.
She's his lover, has no alibi,
with three prior restraining orders.
I'm not saying she didn't do it.
- But it must be proven. - I know that.
What about the wife having had a lover?
- Did you check that? - No.
Why don't you do that first?
- We can all make mistakes. - Thanks for your support.
- "Bye, Ulf." - And he calls me a tight-arse.
- What's up? - Nothing. Why are you here?
Looking for someone.
She's a real dish. But she's also bananas.
She can't see that her boyfriend loves her.
And he can't work out how to make her understand.
- He's a bit thick, then. - Yes.
And when you find her?
I promised the idiot to remind her they were getting married.
She hasn't forgotten that.
No?
I just met her.
She was just about to do something stupid.
But she didn't do it.
Where is she now?
She's sitting here waiting for him to come and kiss her.
He'd better hurry.
I was so angry with you.
But that's over now, eh?
That's not going to determine my child's future.
No, thanks. I've quit smoking.
I don't even know if Lulu had someone else.
Perhaps she was just sad.
I should never have left her alone.
But she insisted that I went to break it off with Irene.
- How did she take it? - The usual way.
The last two months have been hell.
But last Monday I thought she'd accepted it.
But you couldn't stay away?
On Saturday evening I really meant it.
I've never seen anything like it.
She was unrecognisable. She was frightening.
- You didn't suspect her? - She came to our home.
She's Camilla's teacher.
We've been fixated with each other this last year.
But that she would...
- I don't get it. - Don't try.
Some things are better left alone.
I'm going to the hospital.
Johnny, please take Niels to the hospital.
- Take my car. - Yes, this is it.
Of course.
Without a confession we have no case.
- How did it go? - Fine. Johnny turned up.
- He got there in time? - I'd already made up my mind.
I'm glad to see you back.
It's October 3 at 13.30. Interrogation of Irene Krohn
charged with the murder of Lulu Ege,
attempted murder of Camilla Ege, and arson.
DI LaCour and DI Fischer present.
You're not obliged to say anything.
You bought two bottles of turpentine on Tuesday.
- What happened on Monday? - I went to school.
- No, between you and Niels? - Nothing happened.
- Was he tired of you? - No.
I think he was. That's what he told me.
- He wanted to split up. - That's not true.
We met on Friday.
You bought turpentine and some sleeping-pills.
- What were they for? - I had trouble sleeping.
I'll say! In five days you almost emptied the whole box.
Do you know why the missing dosage
corresponds to that in Lulu's stomach?
No.
Irene, do you take rejection badly?
Because I have here one...
three restraining orders.
You still say you were with Niels when you heard the sirens?
I don't say that now. I couldn't bear to see him sad.
- Were you near the fire? - I was inside the house.
- You were in the house? - Yes.
I was on my way to get a paper and...
I saw the fire and I tried to get in and...
But the fire was too fierce
and my clothes and hair caught fire and...
I ran to the beach and jumped in the water and...
I didn't know if they were inside.
Great show, Irene.
Now tell me
when you decided to trap Camilla.
I didn't do that.
Niels.
Camilla's in intensive care.
Irene, there's something I don't get.
Were you afraid Niels was caught in the fire?
How dreadful.
- The man you love. - It was.
But he'd said he was sleeping on his boat.
Why think he was in the house when you knew he wasn't?
- But I didn't know. - You didn't?
No.
I'd like your help with something else.
Two wine glasses survived.
Will Forensics find your fingerprints on one of them?
Please answer for the microphone.
And consider your answer carefully.
You probably had good reasons to talk to Lulu.
Does your lack of a reply mean you drank wine with her?
Yes.
Why did she let you into the house?
I came to apologise.
How did she take it?
She wouldn't listen.
But it was important for Lulu to understand...
that it was over between Niels and me.
So they could get back together.
Nice gesture. It's hard to let go of the one you love.
Then you drank red wine
knowing you'd never see Niels again?
Yes.
How did you feel about that?
You were afraid, weren't you?
Really afraid of not having him in your life.
That's why you'd brought the turpentine.
And that's why you put sleeping-pills in her wine.
You weren't sharing Niels with anyone.
You helped Lulu to bed and waited till she fell asleep.
You waited till the fire took hold.
But Camilla woke up. Did she see you?
Camilla was an accident?
She stood there...
You locked her in so she couldn't rat on you.
You didn't think, did you? Things just happened.
You actually saved her life. But she won't forget this.
Her mother in bed, the flames,
the terrible heat and the door she couldn't kick open.
We both know this happened.
You'll be empowered by admitting it.
I'd like a glass of water.
A glass of water?
Water, please.
She was alive when I left.
I want a solicitor.
Why did she ask for water? Damn it! I almost had her.
Damn it!
Camilla got through the crisis. We're bringing her back now.
- IP! - Yes.
The hospital phoned. We can talk to Camilla.
Great. We'll get Irene after all.
- Shall I do it? - No, I'm staying.
I'm too tired to drive home.
You didn't sleep last night?
Didn't you read one of those crime novels?
- Which ones? - Staffan's.
- Oh. - They're good, I hear.
- Or have I got it wrong? - No. But you can't borrow it.
- Why not? - For my personal use only.
A jury found Irene Krohn guilty of arson, attempted homicide and homicide due to the weight of forensic evidence and Camilla's statement. She was sentenced to life imprisonment.